


The Taste of Coffee and Punch

by WritinRedhead



Series: Rogue One AUs [3]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Humor, M/M, Romance, sniperpilot halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 14:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritinRedhead/pseuds/WritinRedhead
Summary: It’s a spur-of-the-moment decision when he turns left instead of right at the next corner. Bodhi isn’t really sure what outcome his brain expects from this sudden change of plans, but he is willing to give it a chance anyway.He catches himself hoping to find the handsome barista working the late shift at‘Rogue’s Coffee & More’.





	The Taste of Coffee and Punch

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 13 Days of Sniperpilot Halloween (only two months late ahahaha)  
> Prompt: Parties
> 
> A big thank you to [ NoMeDigas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoMeDigas/pseuds/NoMeDigas) for betating. <3

His phone says it’s shortly after ten as Bodhi walks through the dark streets of Yavin, occasionally lit up by the spooky glow of jack-o’-lanterns and filled with the laughter of children going from door to door.

With a sigh, he slips it back into his pocket. He doesn’t really feel up for the hustle and bustle of the party at Chirrut and Baze’s place tonight, although sitting around at home alone on Halloween doesn’t sound particularly tempting either. Maybe he’ll just go and chat with Jyn for a while. Given she’s not too busy making out with Luke’s sister behind the punchbowl.

‘Like last year’, he remembers, half amused, half indignant.

The wind picks up and a shiver runs through Bodhi. How the costumed kids can stand the cold is a mystery to him. He figures it's got something to do with all the sugar, mixed with general Halloween excitement. His own fingers are starting to go a bit stiff from the cold and he brings them up to his face to blow on them in a vain attempt to give them back some feeling. His breath forms a little cloud in the night air. Hopefully there's still some warm punch left that hasn't been spiked yet by the time he'll get there.

It’s a spur-of-the-moment decision when he turns left instead of right at the next corner. To his surprise the coffee shop on main street is still open, a promising light shining through its spiderweb-decorated widows. Bodhi isn’t really sure what outcome his brain expects from this sudden change of plans, but he is willing to give it a chance anyway.

A bell chimes as he pushes open the door to the near empty café, his eyes immediately wandering over to the counter, and Bodhi catches himself hoping to find the handsome barista working the late shift at _‘Rogue’s Coffee & More’ _. His traitorous heart skips a beat when he, indeed, spots him, busy cleaning the espresso machine, his back turned towards Bodhi.

Bodhi bites his lip.

He doesn’t need to see his face to know what it looks like. He’s spent enough hours perched in a corner of the café, hidden behind his laptop and trying to work on his thesis, but spending more time staring at deep brown eyes and astoundingly sharp cheekbones. He’s pretty sure he’s been caught a few times, and even now Bodhi can feel his cheeks heat up. If Mr Handsome Barista notices it, he'll just blame it on the temperature difference, the coffee shop filled with a welcoming warmth in contrast to the freezing wind outside.

Mr Handsome Barista runs a hand through his hair, inadvertently ruffling it, as he pauses his cleaning for a moment and Bodhi can't help but stare. It gives him a rumpled, sort of soft look. Like he'd just rolled out of bed, and Bodhi would love to find out if he really looks that way in the mornings. He likes that look, especially since Mr Handsome Barista nearly always wears a scowl. It's surely not optimal for working in the service industry, but a useful tool designed to keep over-enthusiastic customers at a distance. He probably would have taken that as a hint and put an end to his ridiculous crush long ago, if it weren't for one thing.

During his frequent visits (due to the divine coffee, obviously, not because he’s ogling the barista), he'd noticed that whenever Mr Handsome Frowny Barista hands him his order and their hands would accidentally touch, the scowl disappears for the briefest of moments, getting replaced with a faint smile, before he again ruffles his hair and steps back to open the cash register.

Bodhi has been done for since their hands first touched over a cup of cinnamon spiced coffee.

A fluttery feeling in his stomach, Bodhi steps up to the counter and politely clears his throat. Mr Handsome Barista doesn’t turn though, seemingly too absorbed in cleaning and just keeps wiping down the espresso machine, bringing out the metal’s original shine.

Bodhi is still debating whether or not it would come off too stalker-ish to call him by his name, when Mr Handsome Barista turns around, wiping his hands on the dark green apron tied around his waist. The shirt he's wearing is unbuttoned, falling over the employees’ apron and revealing a rather well-fitting T-shirt underneath. Together with the rolled-up sleeves, Bodhi thinks it's entirely unfair for anyone to be this good looking.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you. Have you been waiting long?” Mr Handsome Barista looks a little sheepish for being caught daydreaming.

“No, no. It's fine,” Bodhi says, quickly shaking his head.

Mr Handsome Barista seems relieved. “What can I get you,” he asks. “The usual?”

“Yes, please.”

Bodhi smiles, surprised by how irrationally happy he gets because of something as simple as a remembered order. Still, he feels his smile increase as he watches the man’s frown ease.

“Sure. Coming up right away.”

When he goes to prepare Bodhi’s order, Bodhi can’t help but stare after him, transfixed by the way the muscles in his forearm move as he operates the coffee maker. He can outright hear Jyn’s voice in his head, telling him that he should just man up and ask him out already.

“Not working today?”

“Huh, what?” Bodhi asks, feeling stupid for not noticing that Cassian, as the name tag reads, is back with a filled paper cup in his hand.

“You're always here with your laptop. I figured you were working on something. Sorry if I'm wrong.”  

“Oh, no, I am. I'm working on my thesis at the moment and my roommate says I “weird her out” when I just stare at the screen without talking for hours.” Bodhi laughs nervously. Why is he even saying that? “But today I, ah, I was just passing by. On my way to a party, actually.”

“Oh,” Cassian says, and Bodhi could have sworn he looked disappointed. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking. “Have fun then.”

“I don’t think I’m going, though,” he adds quickly and feels weird for mentioning it immediately after. Could be he’s reading too much into it, after all.

“Is that so,” Cassian says, handing him his order. The latte foam decoration is a little ghost instead of the usual leaf or heart. Bodhi thinks it’s adorable.

“Yeah,” he says, reaching out as well.

Their hands touch over the smell of ground beans, spices and a distinct note of pumpkin floating in the air, and Bodhi wishes to just take his hand and never let go.

He doesn’t, though. Instead reluctantly takes his order and sets it down on the counter, staring at the little ghost as if he could tell Bodhi’s mess of a heart to get a grip.

“That’s $3,50, please.”

“What?” Cassian's voice snaps him out of his frozen moment. In the meantime, Cassian has ruffled up his hair even more and moved over to the cash register. Bodhi digs out his wallet. “Yes. Sure. Happy Halloween,” he mutters quietly as pays what he owes.

Just as Bodhi is about to turn and leave, contemplating what to do with himself for the rest of the night, he sees the note hurriedly scribbled onto the complimentary paper napkin.

>  " _My shift is over at midnight. Wait for me? – Cassian.”_

He needs to read it a second time, before he jerks his head up and looks over to the counter.

“For real? I mean, is this - is this real?” he stutters. “And for _me_?”

Suddenly he’s afraid it’s just a note for someone else, having gotten mixed up in the napkin stash earlier. Although…

Cassian seems unusually flustered, one hand behind his back, the other rubbing at his neck.

“Uhm, yeah. If you would want to, that is.”

A tingling sensation in his chest, Bodhi beams.

“I’d love to.”

As he takes one of the stools at the counter instead of his usual spot in corner, Cassian offers another one of his rare smiles.

His stomach filled with warmth and anticipation, Bodhi takes the first sip of his coffee.

 

***

 

“Bodhi! You came! I thought you had a date with the couch.”

He can barely pull his hand back from ringing the bell when the door is already jerked open.

“Nice to see you too, Jyn.”

She doesn’t even hear his sarcastic remark, already poking her head around him, eyes scanning Cassian from his woolen hat to the tips of his boots. She bites her lip and smirks.

“Your couch is looking good.”

Bodhi turns around, looking at Cassian. When their eyes meet, Cassian smiles encouragingly. Bodhi takes a deep breath and returns the smile, then turns around and winkes at Jyn.

“I know.”

“Well done, Bo,” she whispers as she moves out of the doorway to let them in.

Behind her, Leia appears in the entrance, a steaming cup in her hand and Chirrut’s head popping up over her shoulder. A welcoming committee of nosiness.

Cassian’s hand discreetly slips into Bodhi's, his grip warm and steady. Thinking of cinnamon spiced coffee and previously shared touches, Bodhi gently squeezes back. He grins up.

“So... Did you leave us any punch?”

***


End file.
